Favor
by jennamajig
Summary: Just how did Sheppard get Beckett to go through the gate to Hoff? Poisoning the Well missing scene.


**Favor**  
by Jennamajig

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**SUMMARY:** Just how did Sheppard get Beckett to go through the gate to Hoff? Poisoning the Well missing scene.

**SEASON/SPOILERS**: Set season one. Spoils/mentions 38 Minutes and Poisoning the Well.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**: The John/Carson dialogue in this fic actually came from a slash/friendshipy fic I wrote, but I decided to transport it and flesh it out into a gen piece that fills in a little canon blank.

**DISCLAIMER**: I don't own Stargate: Atlantis or anything associated with it. I'm simply borrowing, but I promise to return all in one piece. Eventually.

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--

_SHEPPARD: Our Dr. Beckett's already volunteered  
to help us find that out.  
WEIR: Oh, he has, huh?  
SHEPPARD: He will._

---

"You won't get him through the gate."

"What makes you say that, McKay?" John stared straight ahead. "All I have to do is tell him about this possible wonder drug and I'm sure he'll be packing his bags."

"You obviously don't know Carson."

John stopped in his tracks. "What's to know? He's a scientist, like yourself, and you practically drool at discoveries like this one. Hole in one, I tell you."

"First off, he's a medical doctor, not a scientist. Do not confuse his voodoo with concrete science. Secondly, he hates the Stargate."

John shook his head. "Who isn't a little put off by the Stargate? You make him sound like Dr. McCoy."

"Exactly," Rodney said with a wave of his hands. One thing John noticed since coming to Atlantis was that most scientists liked talking with their hands. A lot.

"I can ask for a favor." Beckett was a nice guy. John didn't see why he'd turn him down.

"From Carson? The same Carson who very recently saved your ass from that giant bug-"

"Hey! I told you never to mention that thing!"

McKay shrugged. "He saved your life. I think if anyone's getting a favor, it would be one from you to him."

John sighed. "Geez, McKay. You want to talk to him, then, since you obviously seem to know more about the guy then I do?"

"No. He may be my friend, but I'm not the one that promised his help to an alien planet without his permission. You're on your own."

"Fine," he agreed.

--

Apparently, McKay was right, which in itself seemed wrong. At least to John. The second he'd mentioned a trip through the Stargate to the good doctor, Beckett let him know he wasn't interested.

Things got a little more complicated when John let it slip that he'd already told the Hoffans Beckett was coming.

"I don't need to go off world, Major, and you can't make me go. I'm perfectly happy sitting here in my lab. You can just bring me back a sample of this so-called drug and I'd be happy to test it. Ecstatic, even."

"Come on, doc. It could stop the Wraith from feeding off human kind. I'd think you'd be all over this one."

Beckett looked at him doubtfully. "Aye, I am. But I might have been a bit more open to the idea if someone asked for my services before volunteering them."

"Yeah, well, I'm sorry about that. But you need to get out." John picked up a test tube filled with a yellow substance from Beckett's lab bench.

"I'm already 'out.' I came to Atlantis, didn't I? And put that down, Major. You don't want to know what's in there."

John dropped the tube immediately. Beckett was right; he didn't want to know. He realized that needed to switch up his angle. That was a bit harder to do when any experience he'd had one on one with the doc was when he landed himself in the infirmary. And he hated to admit it, but Rodney was right again since the visit came after the physician had saved his neck. Literally and fugitively.

"Doc. Carson. Can I call you Carson?"

Beckett sighed. "I suppose, although it's not going to make any difference, Major."

"John," he corrected. "Listen. They aren't too many of us on Atlantis, so I'd like to think we could all get along, even be friends. And friends are bound to do a favor or two for another friend."

"I hardly know you," Carson told him. "And you could say the same about me. Frankly, I don't think we have much in common."

"Maybe, maybe not. But doing a personal favor for me is good way to start, don't you think? I'll owe you one," John promised.

Beckett looked down a minute, before meeting his gaze and giving him a tight smile. "You win, Major. But you owe me much more than one. I certainly hope this new friendship can withstand that."

Bingo! John grinned. "Oh, it'll survive. Just give it a chance. Pack what you need. We leave in an hour."

Ha! Score one for him. McKay would eat his words.

"He'll still complain once we get through the gate." John was caught off guard a moment when he saw the physicist standing a few feet outside the infirmary.

"He can complain all he wants. He's still going," John replied. "See? Didn't need your help after all."

McKay shrugged smugly. "You'll still owe him."

John smiled. That didn't matter. He still did it.

Maybe the doc and he could find common ground after all. He figured he'd start by seeing if Beckett had any dirt on McKay...

End.


End file.
